Chapter 4 - ANIMALS AND FOWL ARTICLE I. - IN GENERAL Sec. 4-1. - Definitions. The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning: Animal means every nonhuman species of animal, both domestic and wild. At large means any animal when it is off the premises of its owner's real property and not restrained by a competent person. Cat means all domestic members of the feline family Felis catus. Competent person means a person eleven (11) years of age or older, capable of physically controlling the animal in question and to whose command the animal is obedient. Confine means the physical restraint of an animal by a fence, structure, chain, rope, or other means of a sufficient strength or construction to restrain the animal in question. Dog includes all domestic members of the canine family Canis familiaris. Domestic animal. The following are considered to be domestic animals: Dogs (not including hybrids of dogs). Cats (not including hybrids of cats). Domestic rodents (guinea pigs, hamsters, white rats, white mice). Farm animals (any member of the swine, ovine, caprine, bovine or equine families, poultry or rabbits). Non-life-threatening, nonpoisonous reptiles or amphibians. Nonpoisonous, non-life-threatening fish. All birds, except those protected as wild birds by state or federal statutes. Dwelling unit means a single unit providing complete, independent living facilities for one (1) or more persons, including permanent provisions for living, sleeping, eating, cooking, and sanitation. Exotic animal means any nondomestic animal not native to the state.
Multiple-pet owner means any person who harbors more than two (2) dogs or cats, or any combination thereof, over four (4) months of age in a dwelling unit. Owner means any person seventeen (17) years of age or older; or parent or guardian of any person under the age of seventeen (17) years; or parent or guardian of an incapacitated person having a right of property in an animal; or who acts as custodian, cares for, keeps, feeds, or knowingly permits an animal to remain on or about any premises occupied by such person; or a person who registers an inoculation certificate for an animal with the county. Poultry means domesticated birds raised for show, eggs or meat. Redemption fee means costs incurred when impounding an animal, which include the handling and processing of the animal's entry and exit into the animal shelter. This fee shall not include boarding, medical or transportation costs incurred by the shelter in keeping such animal. Restraint means any animal that is not found on the property of its owner when it is: Controlled by a line or leash not more than six (6) feet in length when such line or leash is held by a competent person. Controlled by a leash of fifty (50) feet or less during a training session conducted by a competent person. Confined within a motor vehicle. Confined in a cage or other animal carrier. Secure enclosure means a structure of sufficient height and construction that does not allow contact between the animal confined and other animals or persons. Sterilized means the surgical spay of a female animal or castration of a male animal, so as to render such animal incapable of reproducing. Wild animal means any living member of the animal kingdom (including exotic animals) other than a domestic animal. Sec. 4-2. - Animals running at-large prohibited. (a) The owner of any animal shall keep such animal confined or under restraint at all times when it is off the premises of the owner's real property and shall not permit such animal to be at-large. Dogs trained for law enforcement under the control of a peace officer in the performance of duty shall not be required to be confined or under restraint. (b) Failure to comply with this section is a violation for which such person shall pay a penalty of fifty dollars ($50.00) for the first violation; one hundred dollars ($100.00) for the second violation occurring within any twelve-month period and two hundred dollars ($200.00) for the 2
third and each subsequent violation within any twelve-month period. The settlement option set forth in Section 4-23 shall not apply to the second and subsequent violations within any twelvemonth period. Sec. 4-3. - Keeping wild animals prohibited. No person shall keep, harbor, possess, act as custodian, or have a right of property in a wild animal except zoos, veterinary hospitals, animal shelters, pet shops or individuals, all of which must be legally licensed by federal and/or state statutes. Individuals owning or fostering animals trained or to be trained for service to persons with disabilities are excepted. Any individual keeping a service animal must provide documentation of fostering and training from a certified training organization. Sec. 4-4. - Farm animals prohibited. Except as provided elsewhere in the city Code, all farm animals, including but not limited to, members of the swine, ovine, bovine, caprine, or equine families, poultry and rabbits, shall be prohibited. Sec. 4-5. - Rabbits restricted. (a) Possession of rabbits within the village is a violation of the law except under the following conditions: (1) The owner shall provide a cage of at least eight (8) cubic feet, with no dimension less than one (1) foot for each animal. (2) Each cage or structure shall be placed at least fifteen (15) feet from all property lines. (3) The total number of rabbits shall be no more than four (4), with three (3) being the maximum number of females and one (1) being the maximum number of males. (b) For the purpose of this section, any rabbit over six (6) weeks old shall be counted. (c) Any village resident who currently owns rabbits numbering more than four (4) shall be allowed to keep all his or her rabbits currently in his or her possession, but said rabbits may not be replaced as they die off. Said rabbits shall be documented by photograph for the village, and the village retains the right to enter the property of any rabbit owner(s) at any time with notice to said owner(s). 3
Sec. 4-6. - Poultry restricted. (a) Possession of poultry within the village is a violation of the law except under the following conditions: (1) The owner shall provide a cage of at least eight (8) cubic feet, with no dimension less than one (1) foot for each animal. (2) Each cage or structure shall be placed at least twenty-five (25) feet from the dwelling next door. If the odor from said poultry can be detected more than twenty-five (25) feet from said cage or structure, the owner of said poultry can be found guilty of a nuisance violation per section 4-23. (3) The total number of poultry shall be no more than eight (8) per residence, and said poultry shall include only chickens but not guinea hens, turkeys or roosters. Only residents with at least a one (1)-acre lot shall be able to have poultry. This provision is superseded by the grandfathering provisions in section (4) below as to village residents who already own poultry. (4) Any village resident who currently owns poultry numbering more than eight (8) shall be allowed to keep all his or her poultry currently in his or her possession, but said poultry may not be replaced as they die off. Said poultry shall be documented by photograph by and for the village, and the village retains the right to enter the property of any poultry owner(s) at any time with notice to said owner(s). Sec. 4-7. - Humane care of animals. No owner shall fail to provide his animal with sufficient food, water, clean proper shelter, protection from the weather, and sufficient veterinary care when needed to prevent suffering and/or maintain health. Sec. 4-8. - Abandonment prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any person to abandon any animal within the village. Sec. 4-9. - Acts of cruelty to animals prohibited. No person shall: (1) Kill, wound, or attempt to kill or wound any domestic animal, with the exception of rabbits or poultry that are being raised for the purposes of human consumption. (2) Put to death any domestic animal except by euthanasia under the supervision of a licensed veterinarian of the state. 4
(3) Beat, cruelly ill-treat, torment, overload, overwork, or otherwise abuse a domestic animal. (4) Cause, instigate, permit, or attend any dogfight, cockfight, bullfight or other combat between animals or humans. (5) Crop an animal's ears, dock an animal's tail or perform similar surgeries except a licensed veterinarian of the state. (6) Allow any animal to remain unattended by a competent person in a motor vehicle when the animal's life, health, or safety is threatened. Sec. 4-10. - Impoundment and redemption. (a) All animals or fowl found to be in violation of any law or ordinance shall be impounded by personnel authorized by the corporate authorities. (b) Animals or fowl which are impounded shall be kept in the enclosure established as the authorized village pound until redeemed or otherwise disposed of as may be directed by the corporate authorities, but in no event shall disposal of the animal or fowl be ordered where the period of impoundment has been less than five (5) days. (c) Any person seeking to redeem any impounded animal or fowl shall pay a fee established by the impounding authority with the concurrence of the corporate authorities. (d) Animals or fowl which are kept in an authorized pound shall be humanely treated and fed and such pound shall be in charge of personnel duly authorized by the corporate authorities who shall be responsible for the care and custody of the same. Sec. 4-11. - Diseased and injured animals. (a) No diseased or sickly horse, cow, hog, dog, cat, or other animal nor any that has been exposed to any disease that is contagious among such animals shall be brought into the village unless under veterinary care. (b) Any animal, being in any street or public place within the village, appearing, in the estimation of the animal shelter manager or delegate or any inspector of the county health department, to be injured or diseased and past recovery for any useful purpose, and not being attended and properly cared for by the owner or some proper person to have charge thereof for the owner, and not having been removed to some private premises or to some place designated by such officer or inspector within one (1) hour after being found or left in such condition, may be deprived of life by such officer or as he may direct. (c) No person, other than inspectors or officers of the county health department or law enforcement officers, or persons authorized by contract or otherwise, shall in any way interfere with the removal of such dead, sick, or injured animal in such street or place. No person shall 5
skin or wound such animal in any street or public place, unless to terminate its life as herein authorized; except that the owner or person having control of such animal may terminate the life thereof in the presence and by the consent of a law enforcement officer, or an inspector of the county health department or the animal shelter manager or delegate. Sec. 4-12. - Dead animals prohibited. (a) No person shall allow the body, or any part thereof, of any dead animal to decompose and putrefy by remaining on his property. (b) The owner of an animal shall be responsible for the disposal of such animal's remains on its death from whatever cause and regardless of the location of such animal's remains. Sec. 4-13. - Reporting animal bites required. Persons having knowledge of someone being bitten by an animal must report such information to the animal shelter or the code enforcement officer within twenty-four (24) hours. Sec. 4-14. - Disposal of wild animals which have bitten persons. Every wild animal which has bitten a person shall be humanely destroyed immediately and a necropsy performed. Sec. 4-15. - Harboring stray animal restricted. No person shall harbor, keep, care for, feed, or allow to remain on their property any stray domestic animal without notifying the animal shelter within forty-eight (48) hours. Sec. 4-16. - Liberation of owned animals prohibited. No person shall remove from restraint or release from confinement any animal belonging to another person, unless in an emergency or with the consent of the owner. Sec. 4-17. - Liberation of impounded or captured animals prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any person to liberate or to attempt to liberate any animal impounded under the provisions of this article from a place of confinement or from within a vehicle used for confinement and conveyance to the animal shelter. Sec. 4-18. - Trapping prohibited. No person shall set any trap to catch any animal, permit any trap owned by him or in his control to be set to catch any animal, or allow a trap to be set to catch an animal in his property, unless approved by the animal shelter manager. The indoor trapping of rats and mice is permitted. Live traps, which do not injure any animal, will be permitted, unless there is a designated trapping season which prevents them. 6
Sec. 4-19. - Provoking animals prohibited. It shall be unlawful for any person to intentionally provoke any animal so as to create a nuisance to the neighborhood or cause a violation of any provisions of this chapter. Sec. 4-20. - Removal of waste. The owner of any animal shall promptly remove an accumulation of such animal's waste wherever it may exist in the village. Sec. 4-21. - Animal considered a nuisance. No person owning, possessing, or harboring any animal within the village shall permit such animal to become a nuisance. An animal, other than a dog trained for law enforcement in the performance of its duty, shall be considered a nuisance if such animal: (1) Substantially damages property other than the owner's. (2) Causes unsanitary, dangerous, or unreasonably offensive conditions. (3) Causes a disturbance by excessive barking, caterwauling or other noisemaking. (4) Chases vehicles. (5) Chases, molests, attacks, bites, interferes with or physically intimidates any person while on or off the premises of the owner. (6) Chases, molests, attacks, bites, or interferes with other animals while off the premises of the owner. Sec. 4-22. - Impoundment of animals running at-large. Every animal running at-large or stray animal within the city may be impounded by the animal control officer or the police. Once the animal has been impounded at an authorized animal shelter, it may be released only after payment of any redemption or adoption fees provided by that shelter. Sec. 4-23. - Penalty and settlement options. (a) Anyone convicted in a court of law of a violation of any act prohibited or declared to be unlawful by this chapter shall be punished by a fine of not less than two hundred dollars ($200.00) for each offense. Each day an offense is committed shall constitute a separate offense. (b) After receipt of a complaint regarding any section of this chapter, the person may settle the violation of law by making a payment of one hundred dollars ($100.00) to the village clerk for each violation of this article as indicated in such complaint within seven (7) calendar days of the 7
issuance of such complaint. Such settlement option shall not apply to the second and subsequent violations of any one (1) section within any twelve-month period. (c) The receipt of one hundred dollars ($100.00) for such violation indicated on the complaint within seven (7) days of its issuance, shall terminate the article violation action and resolve all village claims for fines against the alleged violator by the village. (d) The village shall file in the circuit court of the county all complaints against those persons, served with a copy of the complaint by either certified mail or personal service, who fail to settle their violations within said seven-day period. Sec. 4-24. - Liability of animal owners. Owners of animals shall be liable for any damage done by their animals to persons, other domestic animals, or other persons' property. Sec. 4-25. - Inoculation required. No person shall own, possess, keep, maintain, or harbor any dog or cat over the age of four (4) months of age without causing such dog or cat to be inoculated against rabies. Such inoculation shall be required, regardless of whether the dog or cat is confined at all times to an enclosed area. Sec. 4-26. - Collar required. No person shall own, possess, keep, maintain, or harbor any dog or cat over four (4) months of age within the city without providing such dog or cat with a collar to be worn when said animal is outside a secure enclosure. Collars for dogs shall be of sufficient strength to control and restrain the animal without injury to the animal. Animals restrained by rope or chains must have collars. Sec. 4-27. - Removal of collar or tags restricted. No person shall, without the consent of the owner of keeper of any dog or cat, take away or otherwise remove any registration tag, identification tag, or collar from any dog or cat. Sec. 4-28. - Disposition of dog or cat suspected of having rabies. Any dog or cat suspected of being afflicted with rabies may be slain by an animal control officer, police officer, sheriff, or deputy sheriff if such officer deems it essential to the safety of any person or necessary to prevent its escape. The head of such animal shall be preserved and delivered to the county veterinarian or delegate in order that a necropsy can be conducted to determine if such animal was rabid. 8
Sec. 4-29. - Confinement of female dog or cat in heat. The owner of any female dog or cat in heat shall confine such animal in a building or secure enclosure. The failure to do so is a violation of law and will allow the manager of the animal shelter or delegate to impound such animal and to hold such animal until redeemed/adopted pursuant to this article. Sec. 4-30. - Duties of driver of motor vehicle striking animal. Any person whose motor vehicle strikes a dog or cat within the village shall promptly report such occurrence to the animal shelter or police department with a description of the animal struck, condition of the animal, and the location of the striking. Sec. 4-31. - Multiple-pet owners; duty to provide care. All multiple-pet owners shall conform to the following requirements with reference to the care of their animals: (a) Residents shall not be permitted to own a combination of more than three (3) dogs and/or cats. Said animals shall be tagged per Peoria County ordinances. (1) Any village resident who currently owns dogs and/or cats numbering more than three (3) shall be allowed to keep all his or her dogs and/or cats currently in his or her possession, but said dogs and/or cats may not be replaced as they die off. Said dogs and/or cats shall be documented by photograph for the village, and the village retains the right to enter the property of any owner(s) of dogs and/or cats at any time with notice to said owner(s). (a) All dogs and/or cats four (4) months of age must be inoculated against rabies and registered pursuant to this article. (b) All dogs and/or cats must be provided with a continuous supply of fresh water, sufficient food to maintain acceptable body weight, proper shelter, protection from weather, and sufficient veterinary care to prevent suffering. (c) If dogs and/or cats are kept or maintained within a structure or building, such building shall: (1) Meet county and city health standards. (2) Be kept clean, free of feces and urine. (3) Not constitute a nuisance or danger to the health and welfare of its inhabitants nor surrounding residents. (d) If the dogs and/or cats are maintained outside a building during a substantial portion of the day and/or night: 9
(1) A shelter of sufficient height and width to permit such animal to stand up and turn around inside when fully grown shall be provided. (2) The shelter provided shall provide shade from the sun and shall be located a distance equal to one and one-half (1½) times the width of the shelter from any residence located on lots or parcels of land contiguous to the property occupied by the shelter. (e) The dogs and/or cats shall be prevented from running at large. (f) The dogs and/or cats shall be prevented from causing a nuisance pursuant to section 4-21 (g) The owner's property shall be kept free of all feces and urine to prevent its accumulation from constituting a health hazard or an odorous nuisance. Sec. 4-32. - Removal of excrement. No person shall appear with an animal upon public ways or within public places or upon the property of another, absent that person's consent, without some means for the removal of excrement; nor, shall any person fail to remove any excrement deposited by such an animal. This section shall not apply to a blind person while walking his or her guide dog. 10
ARTICLE II. - VICIOUS AND DANGEROUS ANIMALS Sec. 4-33. - Definitions. The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this Article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this Section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning: Dangerous animal means any individual animal which when either unmuzzled, unleashed, or unattended by its owner, or a member of its owner's family, in a vicious or terrorizing manner, approaches any person in an apparent attitude of attack upon streets, sidewalks, or any public grounds or places. Enclosure means a fence or structure of at least six feet in height, forming or causing an enclosure suitable to prevent the entry of young children, and suitable to confine a vicious animal in conjunction with other measures which may be taken by the owner or keeper, such as tethering of a vicious animal within the enclosure. Such enclosure shall be securely enclosed and locked and designed with secure sides, top and bottom and shall be designed to prevent the animal from escaping from the enclosure. Found to be vicious animal means: (1) That the Administrator, an animal control warden, or a law enforcement officer has conducted an investigation and made a finding in writing that the animal is a vicious animal as defined herein and, based on that finding, the Administrator, animal control warden, or the Director has declared in writing that the animal is a vicious animal; or (2) That the Circuit Court has found the animal to be a vicious animal as defined herein and has entered an order based on that finding. Impounded means taken into the custody of the public pound in the county, city or town where the vicious animal is found. Vicious animal means: (1) Any individual animal that when unprovoked inflicts bites or attacks a human being or other animal either on public or private property. (2) Any individual animal with a known propensity, tendency or disposition to attack without provocation, to cause injury or to otherwise endanger the safety of human beings or domestic animals. 11
(3) Any individual animal that has as a trait or characteristic and a generally known reputation for viciousness, dangerousness or unprovoked attacks upon human beings or other animals, unless handled in a particular manner or with special equipment. (4) Any individual animal that attacks a human being or domestic animal without provocation. (5) Any individual animal that has been found to be a "dangerous animal" upon three separate occasions. No animal shall be deemed "vicious" if it bites, attacks, or menaces a trespasser on the property of its owner or harms or menaces anyone who has tormented or abused it or is a professionally trained dog for law enforcement or guard duties. Vicious animals shall not be classified in a manner that is specific as to breed. Sec. 4-34. - Confinement, control and impoundment of vicious animals. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person to keep or maintain any animal which has been found to be a vicious animal unless such animal is at all times kept in an enclosure. The only times that a vicious animal may be allowed out of the enclosure are: (1) If it is necessary for the owner or keeper to obtain veterinary care for the animal; or (2) To comply with the order of a court of competent jurisdiction, provided that the animal is securely muzzled and restrained with a chain having a tensile strength of 300 pounds and not exceeding three feet in length, and shall be under the direct control and supervision of the owner or keeper of the animal. (b) Any animal that has been found to be a vicious animal and that is not confined to an enclosure shall be impounded by the Administrator, animal control warden, or the law enforcement authority having jurisdiction in such area and shall be turned over to a licensed veterinarian for destruction by lethal injection. (c) If the owner of the animal has not appealed the impoundment order to the Circuit Court within seven working days, the animal may be humanely dispatched. An animal found to be a vicious animal shall not be released to the owner until the Administrator, an animal control warden, or the Director approves the enclosure as defined in this Article. (d) No owner or keeper of a vicious animal shall sell or give away the animal. Sec. 4-35. - Dangerous animals; nuisance; exceptions. (a) It is unlawful for any person to maintain a public nuisance by permitting any dangerous dog or other animal to leave the premises of its owner when not under control by leash or other recognized control methods. 12
(b) Guide dogs for the blind or hearing impaired, support dogs for the physically handicapped, and sentry, guard, or police-owned dogs are exempt from this Section; provided, an attack or injury to a person occurs while the dog is performing duties as expected. To quality for exemption under this Section, each such dog shall be currently inoculated against rabies in accordance with this Chapter. It shall be the duty of the owner of such exempted dog to notify the Administrator of changes of address. In the case of a sentry or guard dog, the owner shall keep the Administrator advised of the location where such dog will be stationed. The Administrator shall provide police and fire departments with a categorized list of such exempted dogs, and shall promptly notify such departments of any address changes reported to him. (c) The Administrator, the State's Attorney, the Village or any citizen of the county in which a dangerous dog or other animal exists may file a complaint in the name of the people of the State to enjoin all persons from maintaining or permitting such, to abate the same, and to enjoin the owner of such dog or other animal from permitting same to leave his premises when not under control by leash or other recognized control methods. Upon the filing of a complaint in the Circuit Court, the Court, if satisfied that this nuisance may exist, shall grant a preliminary injunction with bond in such amount as the Court may determine enjoining the defendant from maintaining such nuisance. If the existence of the nuisance is established, the owner of such dog or other animal shall be in violation of this Chapter, and in addition, the Court shall enter an order restraining the owner from maintaining such nuisance and may order that such dog or other animal be humanely dispatched. Sec. 4-36. - Violations; penalties. Any person guilty of a violation of Section 4-31, 4-32, 4-34 or 4-35 shall pay a fine of not less than $50.00, nor more than $500.00 for each violation. Each day that a person fails to comply constitutes a separate violation. A penalty under this Section shall be in addition to and not in lieu of any action taken under Section 4-34(b) or Section 4-35(c). 13